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Absolut flavours range is given arty redesign

Absolut flavoured vodkas have been given vibrant new designs which “bypass design conventions to artistically express the core essence of each flavour”.

“This is one of the most dramatic changes we’ve ever made, and our biggest and most transformative design project ever. Our goal was to give our customers distinctive designs that are unlike anything one has ever seen. Vibrant, captivating bottles that bring energy to any occasion and celebrate the fact that every flavour in the Absolut Vodka range is something extraordinary,” says Anna Kamjou, global design director at Absolut.

“The standard thinking says a fruit-flavoured vodka requires fruit imagery. We wanted to break that convention. We asked our design team to reach into the symbolism and myths tied to the ingredients to find each flavour’s core essence -- and then amplify that essence through art.”

 Bringing an artistic approach to the redesign of its flavour range makes sense for a company with deep roots in the art world. Since 1985, when the Absolut Vodka bottle appeared in the first art ad, Absolut has been making art part of its consumers’ experience.

“Absolut has long challenged conventions through creativity,” says Kamjou. “This across-the-board redesign is another example of the brand’s originality and boldness.”

Kamjou  and Absolut’s global design manager Caroline Mörnås  worked with The Brand Union  design agency creative director Mattias Lindstedt and executive strategy director Jonas Andersson to interpret each flavour’s essence then elevate these impressions artistically into something premium, contemporary and progressive.

With Absolut Apeach, for example, soft pastels and a light, hand-drawn gesture were used to capture the fruit’s evanescent, sweet fragility and convey a sense of romance.

The design for Absolut Pears started with the fruit’s symbolic association with longevity and purity, and arrived at an abstract pear shape resembling the symbol for eternity.

For Absolut Raspberri, the emotion of love and passion is intensified through the abstract expressionist technique of throwing paint. The same artistic process was repeated across the range.

 “We brought a ‘by-hand’ aesthetic to the project,” says Lindstedt. “And by that I mean we stepped away from our computers, grabbed paper, pens and brushes, and – following the long tradition of Swedish design and craftsmanship – set out to communicate not a flavour per se, but the core essence behind each flavour. And to do so in a quintessential Absolut way, under one harmonising idea.”  

“This is an exciting time for Absolut,” says Jonas Tåhlin, VP global marketing at The Absolut Company. “While most flavoured vodkas look more or less the same, we are bringing a full range of innovative designs to market. Artistic, modern and unlike anything else around, we believe they will reinforce our position as creative leader.”  

The re-designed bottles include Absolut Apeach, Absolut Pears, Absolut Raspberri, Absolut Vanilia, Absolut Mango, Absolut Ruby Red, Absolut Berri Açaí, Absolut Äpple, Absolut Cherrys, Absolut Gräpe, Absolut Wild Tea and Absolut Cilantro.  Last year, Absolut re-designed its classic flavours Absolut Peppar, Absolut Citron, Absolut Kurant and Absolut Mandrin.